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Google Offered Epic $147 Million To Launch Fortnite on the Play Store: Google has confirmed in court that Epic was offered a $147 million deal to launch its hit game Fortnite on Android's Google Play Store. From a report: The deal, which Google's VP of Play partnerships, Purnima Kochikar, says was approved and presented to Epic but not accepted, would have seen the money dispensed over a three-year period of "incremental funding" (ending in 2021) to the games publisher. It was meant to stem a potential "contagion" of popular apps bypassing Android's official store and, with it, Google's lucrative in-app purchase fees. Epic launched Fortnite on Android in 2018 directly through its website, avoiding the Play Store. That allowed it to sell Fortnite's in-game currency, V-Bucks, without paying the commission required of Play Store apps. It relented in 2020, saying that "scary, repetitive security pop-ups" and other factors had put it at a severe disadvantage. But in an antitrust lawsuit filed later that year -- and currently being argued before a jury -- it alleged its initial decision had thrown Google into a panic. It cited internal documents claiming Google feared a "contagion risk" if other game developers (including Blizzard, Valve, Sony, and Nintendo) followed Epic's lead, and it claimed Google attempted to forestall it by offering special benefits or even buying Epic. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Google Offered Epic $147 Million To Launch Fortnite on the Play Store: Google has confirmed in court that Epic was offered a $147 million deal to launch its hit game Fortnite on Android's Google Play Store. From a report: The deal, which Google's VP of Play partnerships, Purnima Kochikar, says was approved and presented to Epic but not accepted, would have seen the money dispensed over a three-year period of "incremental funding" (ending in 2021) to the games publisher. It was meant to stem a potential "contagion" of popular apps bypassing Android's official store and, with it, Google's lucrative in-app purchase fees. Epic launched Fortnite on Android in 2018 directly through its website, avoiding the Play Store. That allowed it to sell Fortnite's in-game currency, V-Bucks, without paying the commission required of Play Store apps. It relented in 2020, saying that "scary, repetitive security pop-ups" and other factors had put it at a severe disadvantage. But in an antitrust lawsuit filed later that year -- and currently being argued before a jury -- it alleged its initial decision had thrown Google into a panic. It cited internal documents claiming Google feared a "contagion risk" if other game developers (including Blizzard, Valve, Sony, and Nintendo) followed Epic's lead, and it claimed Google attempted to forestall it by offering special benefits or even buying Epic. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Google Offered Epic $147 Million To Launch Fortnite on the Play Store: Google has confirmed in court that Epic was offered a $147 million deal to launch its hit game Fortnite on Android's Google Play Store. From a report: The deal, which Google's VP of Play partnerships, Purnima Kochikar, says was approved and presented to Epic but not accepted, would have seen the money dispensed over a three-year period of "incremental funding" (ending in 2021) to the games publisher. It was meant to stem a potential "contagion" of popular apps bypassing Android's official store and, with it, Google's lucrative in-app purchase fees. Epic launched Fortnite on Android in 2018 directly through its website, avoiding the Play Store. That allowed it to sell Fortnite's in-game currency, V-Bucks, without paying the commission required of Play Store apps. It relented in 2020, saying that "scary, repetitive security pop-ups" and other factors had put it at a severe disadvantage. But in an antitrust lawsuit filed later that year -- and currently being argued before a jury -- it alleged its initial decision had thrown Google into a panic. It cited internal documents claiming Google feared a "contagion risk" if other game developers (including Blizzard, Valve, Sony, and Nintendo) followed Epic's lead, and it claimed Google attempted to forestall it by offering special benefits or even buying Epic. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

New Post: Apple already unbans Epic Games, will allow Fortnite on iPhone in EU - https://lnkd.in/giaghqGs - The Digital Markets Act (DMA), a new set of EU regulations that forces Big Tech companies to open themselves to competition on their core platforms, went into effect on Thursday. By Friday, the DMA had already resolved the latest conflict between Apple and Epic Games."The DMA went through its first major challenge with Apple banning Epic Games Sweden from competing with the App Store, and the DMA just had its first major victory," Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney posted on X. "Following a swift inquiry by the European Commission, Apple notified the Commission and Epic that it would relent and restore our access to bring back Fortnite and launch Epic Games Store in Europe under the DMA law." Tweet may have been deleted This latest behind-the-scenes conflict between Apple and Epic Games was made public on Wednesday, so as Sweeney said, this is an incredible victory for the brand new DMA which is barely one day old as of publishing.The result of this decision means that Fortnite will likely soon make its way back to iOS, which would mean that gamers in the EU can once again play the popular battle royale game on their iPhones for the first time since 2020.A pause in the war between Apple and Epic GamesFortnite developer Epic Games released a statement on Wednesday sharing that Apple had terminated the video game company's previously-approved iOS developer account.  SEE ALSO: Apple to let iPhone users delete Safari, easily transition to Android This isn't the first time the iPhone-maker and the Fortnite developer butted heads. In 2020, Apple booted Epic Games' Fortnite from the App Store after the gaming company attempted to avoid paying Apple's in-app purchase revenue share fees. Since then, Fortnite has been unavailable to play on iOS devices.However, thanks to the DMA, Apple has been forced to comply with a number of new rules in the EU. The new law means Apple must allow "alternative marketplaces" to compete with its official App Store, allowing for app developers to release apps on iPhone without going through Apple's distribution model.Once Apple announced this new policy, Epic Games quickly shared its intent to bring Fortnite back to the iPhone in the EU. In order to do so, Epic Games opened a new developer account that's to be used to create an Epic Games mobile app store in the EU under the new "alternative marketplace" rules. Apple derailed those plans – at least temporarily – on Wednesday. According to Epic Games, Apple terminated its developer account, citing Fortnite's history of violating Apple's rules as well as the Epic Games' outspoken criticism of Apple.However, Apple is now officially operating under a new set of regulations in the EU as of Thursday. Epic Games filed a complaint to EU regulators and by Thursday the issue was already

🚀 Mobile Gaming's Big Moves: Insights & Surprises! 🎮 Hello there, fellow gaming enthusiasts! 🕹️ In the ever-evolving world of mobile gaming, there's always something new on the horizon. This week, we've got some juicy tidbits that are sure to pique your interest! 🌍 1. Google's Big Play for Fortnite: Google offered a whopping $147 million to Epic Games to launch Fortnite on the Play Store. Epic initially declined, preferring direct downloads, but later joined the Play Store in 2020. This move highlights the intense competition and high stakes in the mobile gaming market. 🤑 2. Apple's Gaming Goldmine: Despite not developing games, Apple raked in $6.9 billion from games in the first half of 2023. That's more than giants like Microsoft, Nintendo, and even Activision Blizzard! It's a testament to the lucrative nature of the App Store's ecosystem. 🍏💰 3. The Rise of Mobile in Take-Two's Portfolio: Post-Zynga acquisition, mobile gaming now constitutes 47% of Take-Two's business. This shift underscores the growing importance of mobile platforms in the gaming industry. 📈 4. Roblox's Robust Growth: Roblox continues to soar with a 38% increase in revenue and a 20% rise in daily active users. This platform's unique approach to gaming and community-building is clearly resonating with users worldwide. 🌐 Stay informed, keep exploring new gaming horizons, and remember: the mobile gaming world is full of surprises – always expect the unexpected! 🌟 #MobileGaming #GamingIndustry #TechNews #GameDevelopment #Innovation Curious for more? Dive into the full article for a deeper look into these fascinating developments! 👇

Fortnite maker Epic Games beat Google in court EPIC GAMES WINS: "Fortnite" maker Epic Games has prevailed in its high-profile antitrust trial over Alphabet's Google, which alleged the Play app store operated as an illegal monopoly.⁣ Epic's lawsuit against Google began in 2020, almost immediately after it filed suit against Apple over alleged "monopolistic practices." In both cases, Epic began offering mobile Fortnite players an option to purchase V-Bucks directly, bypassing Apple and Google's payment processing systems and the cut of in-app purchases they take. Google and Apple policies forbid the use of external payment processors on their mobile storefronts and they kicked Fortnite off their respective stores as a result, triggering Epic's legal action. Epic Games has rallied against how the Android and iPhone app ecosystems operate, predominantly the way the platform holders take a 30% cut in payments made through phone apps and games. Why does this matter so much to Epic Games? V-Bucks. This is the currency used in Fortnite. And as Fortnite is a free-to-play game, this currency is how the game makes money. It’s used to buy custom skins and items inside the game. 

Highlighting: "The email read: "Please inform Kodera-san, and please be clear, that Epic will enable full interoperability between all platforms in Fortnite at a timely point in the future ... we are prepared to pursue this course with all available resources, wherever it leads us, and for however long." ---- This is the moment in 2018 when Epic pushed Sony on console cross play. Everyone wanted it. In hindsight, Sony should thank Epic. It was good for gamers everywhere. It was good for Sony. Sony benefits from cross play. Cloud gaming, not game streaming over cloud, but ACTUAL Cloud Gaming is what users want. Users on every device connected in cross device, cross play, over Cloud transcending walled gardens. Cloud gaming cross play is what developers and players wanted. ----- GamesIndustryBiz: "Tim Sweeney: We were willing to sue Sony for cross-play | Epic vs Google. Elsewhere, more details emerge over Google's plans to buy the Fortnite firm" "As Epic's antitrust trial against Google continues, the former's CEO Tim Sweeney has revealed the campaign to open PlayStation to cross-play could have led to legal action. Epic Games was one of many developers calling for Sony to enable gamers to play multiplayer matches against people on other platforms, with other advocates include the teams behind Rocket League and Ark: Survival Evolved. Sony repeatedly shot down this suggestion but finally relented in September 2018. With open platforms being a key discussion point of the Epic vs Google trial, a San Francisco courthouse heard on Monday heard how far the Fortnite firm planned to go to support the push for cross-play, The Verge reported. "We were willing to fight them in court if necessary," Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said during his time on the witness stand. The conversation revolved around a June 2018 email Sweeney sent to Phil Rosenberg, then PlayStation's senior vice president and head of global publisher and developer relations. The email read: "Please inform Kodera-san, and please be clear, that Epic will enable full interoperability between all platforms in Fortnite at a timely point in the future ... we are prepared to pursue this course with all available resources, wherever it leads us, and for however long." After this discussion, the court proceedings moved on with Sweeney noting that Sony and Epic have worked much closer together since then. For example, Sony Music has partnered on Fortnite events, Sony Pictures uses the Unreal Engine for some of its productions, and Sony Corporation has become a shareholder in Epic Games. On the subject of shareholders, Sweeney was questioned about the role China-based Tencent plays in Epic's business – a subject Judge James Donato ordered Google to only bring up once during the trial. When later asked by Epic's lawyer whether Tencent controls Epic, Sweeney replied: "No… I do. I'm the controlling shareholder of Epic." GamesIndustryBiz: https://lnkd.in/gjQcE55e #lawsuit #google #epic #sony #crossplay

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Epic Games (makers of the popular game - Fortnite) had taken Apple and Google to court over their policies around the App Store and Play Store. Epic Games argued that Apple's policies of forbidding third-party app marketplaces in iOS devices and charging a 30% commission on purchases through its own App Store were a violation of US Anti-trust laws.  Epic had filed a lawsuit against Google accusing the tech giant of engaging in anticompetitive practices by using its dominant position in Android to suppress rival app stores and charge developers exorbitant fees of up to 30%. By tying the Play Store to its billing service, Epic argued, Google restricts developer freedom by shutting out alternative options. On the face of it, both the lawsuits are very similar. And yet, Epic Games lost their lawsuit against Apple and won against Google.  So, what's the difference?From what I gather, Apple's iOS is such a closed system that it can be argued that the App Store is a functionality of iOS itself. On the other hand, Android is open source and so modular that the Play Store is an extension that can be replaced by other stores with minimum impact to the system.  Here's a bite sized funny summary of the lawsuits: https://lnkd.in/d2Bw8TwV

Some slots are better than others, and player counts and revenue don’t lie. Of course, there is a heap of personal preference involved when playing slot games – some people may only like to play specific themes, for example. However, from an overall perspective, there is a handful of video slots that are consistently played and are available at most online casinos. In this article, we want to delve into those games and see which ones casino players love. Using our experience and research, we have listed the eight most popular online slot games of 2023 that players consistently enjoy […]